Concrete mixer and the like



E. J. STERN June 17, 1930.

CONCRETE MIXER ANDTHE LIKE Filed March 1, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 17,1930. E. J STERN A CONCRETE MIXER AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 1 1929 72? 6. 22%? Jaye 6J June 17, 1930. E. JQSTERN 1,764,583

CONCRETE MIXER AND THE LIKE Filed March 1,1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 r Patented June 17, 1930 EUGENE Jenn swan, or LITTL ROCK, ARKANSAS CONCRETE MIXER AND THE LIKE Application file-:1 March 1,

T hepresent invention. has to do with certain improvements in concrete mixers and the like. The featuresofi theinvention herein disclosed have reference tioimprovements by means of'which the mixing operations may be more perfectlycontrolle-d,. both as respectsthe water contained in and also the duration of the mixing operation.

The physical characteristics of the finished. concrete will depend largely on the factors justv above referred to. The water content is of course a very important factor in producing the best possible mix since there must be suiiicient water to provide for the hydration of the cement and for the water'oi crystallization, and also the mix must be sufliciently Wet to give it the necessary fluidity andtlowability for the moulds into" which it is to be poured. On. the contrary, an. excessive amount of water is detrimental in different respects.

The time interval during which the mixing operation is conducted is also of importance. The mixing must proceed for sufli ClCl'lC length 01? time to. insure a complete and thorough intermingling and admixture of all of the materials in a uniform manner; and also to insure a thorough and uniform wetting. of the particles of cement and aggre- On the other hand, an excessive duration of the mixing interval is objectionable since the cement will. commence. to setand will lose a substantial'portion of its vitality before the concrete can be finally placed in the moulds.

' In the past the conduct of these operations has been largely on ahitandmiss basis. The

foreman or other-responsible party would in many instances issue instructions as to the amount of water to use in. each batch also as to the. duration of the mixing opera tion. There was no means, however, for checking up to see whether these inst-rue. tions were being carried out; besides which I the operator himself had no means or" know ing just how much water was introduced into the .mix or whether the mixing operation had proceeded long enough or too long.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a concrete mixer having asso- 1929; Serial No. 343,594.

ciated and combined with itv asuitable water meter or measure for effectively measuring the quantity of water introduced into the batch, and also having combined with it suitable means whereby the duration or the amount of the mixing operation may be exactly measured so that the operator will be at all times completely informed in. respect. tothese factors.

It is a further object to provide automatic means whereby the operation of the water meter or measuring device and also the operation of the time element Or counting device will be automatically coordinated with the operations of the mixer itself so that their function will be properlyharmonized nd synchronized with the operation of the mixe o More specifically it is an object to provide means whereby the water will be automatically turned on when the dry cement and aggregate are delivered into the mixing drum so that the delivery and metering of the water into the hopper will commence and take. place as soon as the dry materials have been delivered into the hopper.

it is a further object oi the invention to provide an arrangement whereby the water meter and the revolution counter will be automatically tripped and reset to zero and s0 coincidentally with the operation of introducing the dry cement and aggregate into the drum, but prior to the turning on of the water. This will insure the commencement of a new reading of the water meter at the instant the dry materials are delivered into the drum.

It is a further object of the invention to provide means whereby the flow of water may be manually discontinued by'the op- 9G orator as soon as the water .meter indicates that the desired amount of water has been introduced into the drum, ,and'the water meter will then indicate and will continue to indicate the amount of such reading until reset to zeroeither manually or automatically as presently explained.

It is further object of the invention to provide means whereby the revolution counter will be automatically brought into opera- 1% keep the operator himself fully informed at chineYof Figure 1 with the delivery hop-per.

tion when the water is shut off so that the interval or duration of the mix including the water will be measured by the revolution Counter.

It is a further object to provide an arrangement whereby the operation of the revolution counter will be automatically discontinued as soon as the deliverychute or spout is moved into place to cause the completed concrete to be delivered from I, the

rum. The revolutioncounter will thenin- .dicate and will continue to indicate the number of revolutions of the drum up. to that time, which indication will remain visible until the revolution counter, is either manuall or automatically reset tozero.

T e structures ,and arrangements outlined as above will be such as to make it possible for the foreman or supervisor'to examine the. meters from time to time so as to see whether the operator is carrying out the instructions in regard to.then1ixing :opera-.

tions. At the same time this. device will.

all times. a .7 r

; Other objects and, uses of the invention will appear'from a detailed description of the same which consists in the features of the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings:

FigureLshows-aislde view of a machine embodying the features of the present inven tionlooking towards the delivery side of the "drum;

Figure 2- shows-an end view of the main .raised ornon-delivery. position, and with the raw materials pan in the lowered or 1 initial position, and also shows the raw madotted'line s; I

Figure 3 shows'a pe'rs GCtlVB: view of the ma n operative devices '0 the present inven- 'terials pan in raised .position'by means of tion on enlarged scale as compared to Figures land 2;' Referring to the several figures, I have shown the features of my present invention rotation about a horizontal'axis extending transversely of the machine. :The drum is suitably carried within a truck or frame 6" in the usual manner. Said truck'iscon'veniently illustrated as being provided with the as beingappliedito aconcrete mixer of the rotary drum type. This. concrete mixer includes the drum 5 whichfis mounted for rear; wheels'7' and the frontwheels Sand 9 which are journalled on the front axle 10a Said axle in turn supports the front end'of the truckframe '6v by means of the central pivotal support 11 in the usual and well known manner. a v The truck frame also carries a suitable driving engine.

For purposes 7 of" convenience 'the'samejis' located within a housing 12 placed above the wheels 7. Said housing is provided with the usual doors 13 and 14. The mixing drum 5 is provided with the circular or ring gears 15 and 16 so that said drum can be driven from the engine through the medium of gearing 17 and under control of thee rating handle18 in the usual and well an erstood manner.

The concrete mixer is also provided with a pan 19 which is pivoted to the frame or opening 23 at the inlet side of the drum 5' when the pan is raised into the dotted line position. This will deliver the raw materials from the pan into the rotating drum. The; pan may then again be lowered into the full line position preparatory to receiving an-.

other batch of raw materials in proper proportions: I

"The raising and lowering of the pan 19 is accomplished by means 0 cables. or cords 24 at both sides of the pan. The upper ends of these cords-pass over sheaves or pulle s 25 journalled on the shaft 26,-and the 831d cords wind on to other pulleys 27 .on the- Said winding shaft is windingshaft 28. provided with a pulley 29 over which passes a belt 30. Upon tightening u upon operating a suitable clutc member the pulley '29 is rotated to rotate the shaft 28' and thus wind up the ropes 24 and raise the pan19. Upon loosening the belt or disenplace. V

WAt the other side of the drum 5 there. is

provideda discharge chute'31 which is suitably pivoted so that it can be turned from the full line position of Fig. 2 down into the dotted lineposition 32 of 'saidfigure in order to discharge. the. mixed batch of concrete. Normally'the chute 31 stands. in the full line position, but it is turned down into the dot-ted line positionby manipulation of a lever 33 under 'control' of the operator.

When-the. discharging operation has been completed the chute 31 is; turned back into thefull lineiposition.

The structures already referred to and .e

plainediare well -known'and understood in" said. belt on gaging the clutch, a. reverse action will take the art, and it is deemed unnecessary for.

this application to give a more detailed or complete explanation concerning them. It

' is alsodeemed unnecesasry for a similar rea-,

son-to give amore detailed explanation of the exact physical construction ofthese parts" since the same will be well known and understeed by those skilled in theart.

' whereupon, the operator will know that a fdefinite time intervalhas lapsed. T have a'vailed-"rnys'elf of this factin order to measure the ti'me interval of the mix since I am thus-able to-malreuse of a revolution counter for counting the revolutions of the drum in terms of time. V

For this "reason I have provided a revo- -'luti on"counter 34*at'a convenientpoint on *thema'ehine. Usually the operator stands near the position-bf the delivery chute 31 and -wl'iere he can easily manipulate the handle"33. *F'or'this reason I prefer to Place the instrun'i'ent 31 where it can be easily seen 'b i the operator standing in that position.

I'have "a'lso provi'ded a water meter 35 on 'the;inacl1i1ie, and preferably close to the 'm'ete'r'3e-"so that it also can be easily seen by 'tlieOperatOr standing in his regular position. The incoming water is supplied tli roughfa pipe 36 which leads into the meter .35. Sai'd pipe is connected during the ope'rationsfto a-suitablesource of water supply either'in the nature of an elevated tank or the 'citypressu're niain'or what not. in most eases *acut off valve 37 will be pro- =vi'cied in the pipe "36 in advance of the meter-35.

Fromthe meter 35 another water pipe 3-38 is "oarried across the machine and is "then turned d'own a'nd inwardly'as shown at 39 so thatthe water will be delivered directly through theopening 23 'and into the drum. 'A co'ntr'ol valve 40 is locatedin the pipe 38. Thevalve stem ll of this valve is provided -I -"with a'rock arm-42 byine'ans of which the valve can be controlled. \Vhen the rock arm-stands in the full line position of the Figure '3, the valve is'closed and shuts off the flow of water. T'Vhen the arm 42 is turned over into the dotted'line position of Figure 8, thewater is turned on, and assuming'that'the'valve 37 is left open would be'theca'se-during normal operations) "the turning on and off of the water delivered intothe mixer drum will be entirely under control of the valve all).

Both'o'f the meters 34 and 35 are of such construction thatthey maybe resetto zero by a 7 simple tripping operation. It is deei ed unnecessary to-give the details of such-constructions since meters of this kind are well knownand widely used in various arts; 1 will state,'however, that the meters 3 land '35 are-shown asbeing provided with nie uownwardiy 'e xtending'stems l3 and id water meter respectively sothat when said stemis are pushed momentarily the meters are'feither caused or are allowed to reset*to 'zero. any case, however, the-operationof raising hese stems -will result in the-meters both being reset to zero.

A finger or plate 45 'islocated beneath the stems l3 and l l. Said plate is carried by an arm 46 pivoted to stationary part at the point 47. Upon rocking the arm '46 upwardly, b'oth of the stems'are-move'dupso that they reset to zero.

For the above purpose there is-an arm' l8 pivoted to stationarypart 'at the 'point 49. Said arm l8isprovided with apin 50 which reaches out into'the path of the pan 1 9 or some Bl'QMQHt DiOVBClby shapes, so that as the pan is raised for introducing a new batch of materials into the drum 5,

the arm 4:8 will be rockedtow'ardsthe left in Figure 3. A link 51 has one endpivoted to the arm 48 at the point 52. Said link extends across to the other side'of the inachine and is pivotally connectedto the ari'n 46. Such connection is preferably by apin which can be set 'to'any desired-position within a slot 5% inthe arm 46, thus making it possible to adjust the part-sin or'der to insure proper swing'of the arm 46. The

valve arm 42 already referred to'is also provided with a pin 55 which will beengaged by the pan 19 or some part connected thereto so that after the pan is fraised to deliver the fresh batch into the drum 5 the water valve will'be opened. I will state-"at this point, however, that the pins 50 and '55 together with their connected parts are so positioned and arranged th at the meters are tripped back to zero before the Watervalve is opened sothat whenthe water commences to anew reading will be built up on the There should be enough time interval between the operation of tripping back'to Zero and the operation of turning on the water to allow for 'acomp'let e resetting operation of'the water meter.

The revolution counter ea is operated by a belt or chain 56 which is driven by a sprocket 57 on a stub shaft 58. This stub shaft carries a friction disk 59 by means of which it may be driven. There is a shaft 60 extending across the delivery side of the machine, which shaft '60 is'suitably journalled and is also so carried th'atit may be bodily moved back and forth a sufiicient distance to produce the desired operation. Said shaft 60 has friction-wheelel which will'engage the surface of the disk 59 when the shaft 60 is moved over towards the mixing drum 5. Such engagement is disconinued by moving he shaft 60 away from the mixing drum.

The shaft 60 also carries a toothed wheel 62 having relatively large teeth. These teeth 'will'be successively engaged by the pin 63: on the drum so that each time the mixing drum completes one revolution, the disk 62 will be notched over one notch with corresponding rotation of the shaft'60 and fric tion disk 61. The arrangement is also such that the engagement of the pin 63 with the disk 62 will continue as long as the shaft '60 and friction disk 61 stand in the driving position. 1

Itis thus evident that as long as the shaft 60is held over in the full line position of Fig. 3 the revolutions counter 34 will be driven and will count revolutions of the mixing drum 5; but by moving the shaft 60 over towards the machine in Figure 3, this operation will be discontinued.

Adjacent to the operators stand is a control handle 64 which; is pivoted to a sta- ,tionary part at the point 65. The said handle 64 connects by a link 66 extending across the machine to thevalve lever 42 for the-water valve 40.

It is thusevident that after the water has wardly depending portion 67 which has a finger 68 reaching up in front of the shaft 60.- The arrangement is such that when the lever 64 is pulled over. to shut off the water, the shaft is-simultaneously pushed back towards the right in Figure 3 which causes the friction wheel 61 to engage the friction disk 59 and also causes the toothed wheel 62 to stand in position to be engaged by the pin 63. The result is that the operation of turning off the water results in bringing the revolutions counter into the operation so that the same will begin to count revolutions as. soon as the proper amount of water has been introduced into the batch.

The handle 33 by means of which discharge chute 31 is operated is connected by alink 69 with an arm 7 0 which is pivoted to astationary part at the point .71. Said arm 70 when drawn over towards the left in Figure 3 by movement of the handle 33 into" the concrete discharging position will engage the shaft 60. and move it to the left so'as to, disengage the friction disk 61 from the disk 59/ Consequently the revolutions counter will cease counting when the" discharge of concrete through the chute 31 commences; i s 7 It will be observed that the meters 34 and 35 will retain their respective indications untilthey are reset by the next raising of the'pan 19. 1 Consequently the foreman or supervisorcan examine said meters during the interval prior to the next raising of the operations in order tomake sure that he is.

compl ing with such instructions.

While I have herein shown and described only a single embodiment of the features of my present invention, still I do not intend to limit myself thereto except as I may do so in the claims. 7

I claim: I

1. The combination with a concrete mixer having a rotary drum, and alsohaving a pan for raw materials located adjacent to one side of said drum and movable towards and from the drum at that side for the introduction of raw materials into the drum, and a delivery chute at the other sideof the drum movable towards and from the drum for controlling delivery of mixed batches from the drum, of a water meter'and a revolution counter located adjacent to the drum,

both of said devices being provided with resetting stems for resetting to zero, suitable water conduits for delivery of water to the water meter and for delivery of water from thewater meter to the interior of the drum, and control valve in said conduits, o erative connections between the drum and t ef revolution counter, operative effectively to" count in terms of revolutions of the drum and including a disengaging element, connections between the pan and the meter stems for actuating both of the meter stems effectively to reset the meters-to zero when the pan is raised, connections between the pan and the water valve for thereafter opening the valve in the water conduit after the pan is raised,

manual means for thereafter closing the valve aforesaid and simultaneously making effective theconnections to the revolutions movable towards the drum for introduction of raw materials thereinto', and. a delive chute for delivery of the completed bate from the drum, said chute being movable towardsthe drum for such, purpose, of a water meter and a revolution counter located at a position for convenient inspection by the operator, both of said meters including a resetting device for. resetting to zero, conduits for delivery. of waterto the meter and from the meter into the d i a control valvein saidconduits, eonnection s between the pan and the zero resetting devices for resetting the devices when the pan is moved for introduction of raw materials into the drum, to thereby reset the meters to zero, connections between the pan and the Valve for thereafter opening the valve aforesaid to turn on the supply of water into the drum, means for driving the revolution counter by rotation of the drum and ircluding connections to make such driving means inefiective, manual means for closing the water valve and simultaneously make effective the connections between the drum and the revolutions counter, and means for making said connections ineffective when the delivery chute is moved to the delivery position, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a concrete mixer including a rotary drum and means for delivering raw materials thereinto and means for delivering mixed batches therefrom, of a water meter, and a revolution counter, conduits for the delivery of water to the meter and from the meter into the drum, both of said meters including devices for resetting to zero, a valve in said conduits for control of delivery of water into the drum, a connection between the raw materials delivering means and the zero resetting devices for actuating the zero resetting devices when raw materials are delivered into the drum, means for thereafter opening the valve aforesaid after said materials are delivered into the drum, means for driving the revolution counter from the drum effectively to actuate the revolution counter and register in terms of revolutions, manual means for closing said valve and simultaneously make said revolution counting connections effective, and means for making said connections ineffective when materials are being delivered from the drum substantially as described.

4. The combination with a concrete mixer having a rotary drum, a means for introducing raw materials into said drum and means for removing batches of completed concrete from said drum, of a water meter, a revolutions counter, both of said devices including means for resetting to zero, conduits for delivering water to the water meter, and from the water meter into the drum, a valve in said conduits, connections between the raw materials introducing means and the zero resetting devices and the valve aforesaid for automatically actuating the resetting devices to reset to zero and for thereafter opening said valve when raw ma' terials are delivered into the drum, connections between the drum and the revolution counter for counting interms of revolutions of the drum, said connections including means for rendering them ineffective, manual means for closing the water valve after it has been opened and simultaneously malting effective the connections between the drum and the revolution counter, and automatic means for making ineffective the connections between the revolution counter and the drum when the completed batch is delivered from the drum, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a concrete mixer including a rotary drum, a means for delivering raw materials into said drum and means for delivering completed concrete from the drum, of a water meter and a revolution counter, conduits for the delivery of water to the meter and from the meter into the drum, both said water meter and said revolution counter being provided with devices for resetting to zero, a valve in said conduits, operative connections between the drum and the revolutions counter, a connection between the raw materials delivering means and the zero resetting devices and the water valve for actuating the resetting to zero devices and for thereafter opening the water valve when raw materials are delivered into the drum, manual means for closing said valve and for commencing the operation of the revolution counter and automatic means for discontinuing the operation of the revolution counter when the completed batch is delivered, substantially as described.

EUGENE JOHN STERN. 

